Imaginary friends!

Mips

My 4 yr old constantly talks about her 'grandfather' - all the time. Grandfather wants presents, Grandfather has a dog.. she wants to make presents for her Grandfather.. Grandfather bought her a necklace.. her Grandfather has children....


... there isn't a day that goes by... absolutely everything has something to do with this 'Grandfather' who has a dog and lives in our town..


She does have two Grandfathers - but this isn't either of them.

Is this an imaginary friend? My daughter is sociable, not withdrawn.. not timid but not precocious.. makes friends easily, is really polite.. has her tantrums occasionally like every 4 year old.. but this is worrying me!





Is this normal?

jinky67

Dippy my son had an imaginary cat called Gerry who lived in the radiator in his bedroom. Sometimes he was big and sometimes he was small. If my son did anything wrong it wasnt him, it was Bad Gerry.
We had to put imaginary food out at the dinner table for him as well.

Gerry lived with us for 2 years and then vanished.

I guess it is normal, they are just testing the world around them through someone else IYSWIM?

You should humour her really, it can be very amusing:rotfl:

fernliebee

Has she been watching that scary 'grandad in my pocket' programme?

May be an imaginary friend but at that age they love to tell stories (my friends little girl at that age would always talk about going to the beach tomorrow, what she was going to do, eat, take with her etc, and they hadn't been since she was 2 and we live about as far away from the sea as is poss!)

I think sometimes they just take a liking to the sound of a word, or get a bit focussed on a particular thing, with my nephew it's cookies and the cookie monster! Maybe she just really loves her grandfathers and so makes up stories about a grandfather?

I prob wouldn't be too worried though I can completely see why you posted as it is a bit of an unusual one.

Mips

fernliebee wrote: »

Has she been watching that scary 'grandad in my pocket' programme?

May be an imaginary friend but at that age they love to tell stories (my friends little girl at that age would always talk about going to the beach tomorrow, what she was going to do, eat, take with her etc, and they hadn't been since she was 2 and we live about as far away from the sea as is poss!)

I think sometimes they just take a liking to the sound of a word, or get a bit focussed on a particular thing, with my nephew it's cookies and the cookie monster! Maybe she just really loves her grandfathers and so makes up stories about a grandfather?

I prob wouldn't be too worried though I can completely see why you posted as it is a bit of an unusual one.

Is that on Cbeebies?

Quite possible - she is allowed to watch Cbeebies and long gone are the days where I have to sit with her... I would feel better if this was a programme!

My husband says its just an imagination... but coming past the Church we spoke about Grandad getting married... Grandad gave her a necklace with pictures in... she tells people she has a dog and its not true ! We don't have any pets!

thatgirlsam

ahhh thats dead sweet bless her

my dd had one called bob, even though 'it' was female !

not an imaginary freind , but my ds's dad asked him if mummy has a boyfriend ..

ds said yes , his name is james ... i've met him about 10 times and he has stayed over once

none of this is true , i don't have a bf , let alone one called james !?!

i thought maybe he did it as a sort of 'ha in your face' dad type thing , but he is too young at 4 for that , surely ?

so does she call him 'grandfather' and not grandad then.. he sounds a posh sort of imaginary friend !

smartie12

When my DS was about the same age he had an imaginary squirrel called Bob. He used to walk to school with us for years!!:rotfl:

So I wouldn't worry too much;)

Mips

At 4 your lad is more than likely not trying to wind him up Although amusing


She calls him Grandfather - her real Grandfathers are both 'Grandads' ... I even call mine 'Grandad' still..

I just showed her the link to the Cbeebies Grandpa in my pocket and asked if that was her Grandfather - she said yes... and asked if she could watch it :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


Bad Mummy! I had no idea that was even a programme!

jinky67

Shame Dippy I was looking forward to some right good laughs with her Grandfather tales:rotfl:

Mips

jinky67 wrote: »

Shame Dippy I was looking forward to some right good laughs with her Grandfather tales:rotfl:

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Its been spooking me for ages! :eek:

I am going to watch it when she goes back to bed.. and make sure it is definitely that

thatgirlsam

Dippychick wrote: »

At 4 your lad is more than likely not trying to wind him up Although amusing


She calls him Grandfather - her real Grandfathers are both 'Grandads' ... I even call mine 'Grandad' still..

I just showed her the link to the Cbeebies Grandpa in my pocket and asked if that was her Grandfather - she said yes... and asked if she could watch it :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


Bad Mummy! I had no idea that was even a programme!

hehe .. mystery solved

springclean

my daughter had an imaginary friend, so long ago i can't remember his name. one day she wanted a big chocolate bar that was too big for a 4 year old, so i suggested she share it with her friend. she looked up at me and said 'don't be stupid, he isn't real'.

she didn't mention him again :-)